CLUB CONSTITUTION
0. Version control
Version Date of Issue Description of Version
1.0 May 2015 Draft for Comments
1.1 June 2015 Proposed to AGM 2015
1.2 June 2017 Amendments to 9.1, 9.2, 10.1 passed
1.3 June 2018 Amendment to 3.4 passed
1. Name and Objective
1.1 The name of the organisation is Plumpton Athletic Juniors, also known as “The Club”.
1.2 The Plumpton Athletic Juniors’ constitution takes effect from 12th June 2015.
1.3 Plumpton Athletic Juniors’ aim is "to provide a safe, enjoyable and organised means for children and young adults, between the ages of 4 and 18 to learn and participate in football”.
1.4 The Children and Young adults referred to in section 1.3 are known as “Players”.
1.5 The ethos of The Club is one of participation, enjoyment and learning in a safe environment with equal opportunities wherever practically possible. The Club is proudly affiliated to and operates within the FA recommended guidelines for youth football and safeguarding children practices.
1.6 The Club is affiliated to the Sussex FA and Football Association.
1.7 The Club is managed and led by the “Management Committee”. Those on the Management Committee are known as “Committee Members”.
1.8 All Players’ over the age of 16; Parents/ Carers of players below the age of 16; and other regular helpers over the age of 16; are defined as “Members” (see Section 4 for further definition).
1.9 It is possible both to be a Committee Member and a Member.
2. Purpose of the Management Committee
2.1 The purpose of the Management Committee is to define and coordinate the activities of The Club on behalf of the Members and Players to drive forward the agreed objectives of The Club.
2.2 The affairs of The Club are run by the Management Committee, including but not limited to ensuring adequate insurance, securing sufficient resources, applying of policies and standards and the provision of appropriate training for coaches and support personnel.
2.3 Meet as regularly as the Committee Members deem necessary.
2.4 Take responsibility for planning, budgeting and monitoring income and expenditure. This will include the defining the funding requirement; method and spend priorities; together with the means of income generation.
2.5 Take responsibility for any fund-raising activity, although this maybe delegated to Members.
2.6 Define and appoint any Sub-Committees deemed necessary.
2.7 Represent equally the interests all Members.
3. Election and responsibilities of the Committee Members
3.1 As a minimum, the Management Committee will consist of:
Other roles can be defined and Committee Members appointed by the Management Committee as needed, including a General Committee Member role to a maximum of 12.
3.2 To be Committee Member, the individual must have been a Member for at least 12 months.
3.3 It is possible to be part of the Management Committee without a designated role.
3.4 Committee Members shall be elected approximately every 12 months through a vote of Members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). A simple majority voting system will apply for each role. The Committee Members will serve until 24 hours after their successors are duly elected.
3.5 Nominations for each role should be submitted to the incumbent Chairperson 7 days before an election. The first vote will take place on 11th June 2015 through a show of hands of Members at the AGM. The candidate with the most votes for each role will be placed into the post. In the event of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes, the decision will be made through casting vote of the Chair.
3.6 In the event that only one candidate stands for a role, then they will take up the post.
3.7 The Chairperson and the Treasurer positions must be held by different individuals.
3.8 In the event that a Committee Member stands down within an electoral term, the Management Committee may co-opt another member without the need for an election. The process of co-opting will consist of a list of interested candidates and a vote of the Committee Members. The same process can apply to new Committee Members roles created within an electoral term.
3.9 A Committee Member shall cease to be on the Management Committee if, he/she resigns in writing to the Chairperson or acts illegally or inappropriately or fails to fulfill their duties.
4. Members
4.1 See section 1.6 for the definition of a Member. Where a Player or regular helper is over the age of 16, as a Member they carry a single vote. Where a parent or carer is representing a player under the age of 16, then one vote will be permitted per player represented. If multiple parents/ carers are present then this vote will be split between the numbers of parents/ carers present.
4.2 The Management Committee has the right to refuse, suspend or withdraw Member status only with good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or game of football into disrepute. Appeal against refusal may be made to the members.
4.3 Members can exercise their right by voting at an election, attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM).
4.4 Members can withdraw their status at any time with 2 weeks written/ email notice.
4.5 Members shall pay an annual subscription on behalf of each Player, the amount of which is determined each year at the AGM.
4.6 Membership of The Club runs from 1st August to 31st July each year.
5. Players
5.1 The Club shall be open to Players from the age of 4 and up to the age of 19, regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
5.2 The Management Committee has the right to refuse, suspend or withdraw Player status only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring The Club or game of football into disrepute. Appeal against refusal may be made to the members.
6. Committee Meetings
6.1 Committee Members will be given at least seven days’ written notice of Committee date.
6.2 An agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting to the Committee Members.
6.3 The Management Committee is to be led by the Chairperson; in their absence an alternative Chair is to be agreed by majority vote of the remaining Committee Members at the start of a meeting.
6.4 Committee Meetings held must have a quorum of three Committee Members.
6.5 All business matters, where appropriate, shall be determined by a simple majority of votes (through a show of hands) of the Members present. In the case of an equal vote, the Chair of that meeting will have a casting vote.
6.6 The Secretary shall keep a record of meetings and votes and circulate the minutes. The minutes will be issued as draft to the Management Committee for a period of one week with the final minutes being issued to all Members thereafter incorporating any feedback. Where feedback conflicts, the minutes will be reviewed and agreed at the next Management Committee meeting.
7. Annual General Meeting
7.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held during June of each year. At least 14 days notice will be given to all Members.
7.2 The purpose of each Annual General Meeting is to report to Members on activities undertaken and to hold elections for Committee Members. The activities of the AGM shall cover, but are not limited to:
7.3 Further meetings of Members maybe held to share relevant information as the Management Committee deem appropriate. 14 days notice would be given to all Members.
7.4 The Members have the right to a call an Exceptional General Meeting (EGM) with 14 days written notice to the Chairperson with the written demand of 25% of the members or 30 members whichever is the smaller.
7.5 The subscriptions will be recommended by the Management Committee, and decided upon by majority vote of the Members present and voting.
8. Finance Matters
8.1 The Treasurer shall keep a clear record of income and expenditure, where necessary supported by receipted invoices, and table a financial report at at-least every other meeting of the Management Committee.
8.2 The Financial Year will run from the 1st June to 31st May each year.
8.3 The Treasurer shall present a draft Annual Account of income and expenditure for the Management Committee to approve prior to the AGM. The Final Account shall be presented to the Members present at the AGM to approve.
8.4 All expenditure, commitments to spend or payments will require the approval of two from the Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
8.5 The Treasurer will be responsible for the club’s banking arrangements and will operate the bank account on the basis of two minimum authorised signatories who will also be committee members.
9. Definition of Roles
9.1 The Chairperson does not have specific duties aside from chairing the Management Committee but will oversee the work carried out by the Management Committee, Players and Coaches, while also being the ultimate point of arbitration.
9.2 The Secretary is the official contact between the club, the County FA and the competition organisers. The Secretary’s duties include: County FA affiliation; league membership; all correspondence; maintenance of club records; maintaining a player register; manage transfers and contract players.
9.3 The Treasurer must manage and administer the club’s finances, maintaining an income and expenditure record and balance sheet, which must be presented at the club’s AGM. A cash book must be retained for two seasons, an annual financial statement prepared and bank account managed in the club’s name.
9.4 The Welfare Officer should understand the club’s responsibilities when running activities for children and young people, and must help club personnel in their duty of care towards children.
10. Changes to the Constitution
10.1 This Constitution may only be altered at an AGM or EGM by majority vote of the Members present. Any proposal to change the Constitution must be clearly communicated to all Members at least seven days before the meeting at which a vote would take place. Requests to change the Constitution must be submitted to the Chair at least seven days ahead of the AGM or EGM.
11. Winding Up
11.1 The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting. All members must be provided with 28 days written notice of any meeting which contains a proposal to wind up the Club.
11.2 The committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs and determining how the net assets of the club, after settling all liabilities, shall be disposed of.
12. Complaints
12.1 These apply in the event that any Member of the club feels that he or she (or the person they represent) has suffered discrimination in any way or that the club’s Policies, Rules or Codes of Conduct have been broken.
12.2 They should report the matter to the Club Secretary; Child Welfare Officer or another member of the Club Committee. The report should include:
12.3 The Management Committee will sit for any hearings that are required.
12.4 The Management Committee will have the power to:
13. Interpretation
13.1 Any question about the interpretation of this Constitution should, in the first instance be dealt with by the Management Committee. If further interpretation is required, the committee will agree to consider an independent opinion, providing all parties concerned can be assured of complete independence.
0. Version control
Version Date of Issue Description of Version
1.0 May 2015 Draft for Comments
1.1 June 2015 Proposed to AGM 2015
1.2 June 2017 Amendments to 9.1, 9.2, 10.1 passed
1.3 June 2018 Amendment to 3.4 passed
1. Name and Objective
1.1 The name of the organisation is Plumpton Athletic Juniors, also known as “The Club”.
1.2 The Plumpton Athletic Juniors’ constitution takes effect from 12th June 2015.
1.3 Plumpton Athletic Juniors’ aim is "to provide a safe, enjoyable and organised means for children and young adults, between the ages of 4 and 18 to learn and participate in football”.
1.4 The Children and Young adults referred to in section 1.3 are known as “Players”.
1.5 The ethos of The Club is one of participation, enjoyment and learning in a safe environment with equal opportunities wherever practically possible. The Club is proudly affiliated to and operates within the FA recommended guidelines for youth football and safeguarding children practices.
1.6 The Club is affiliated to the Sussex FA and Football Association.
1.7 The Club is managed and led by the “Management Committee”. Those on the Management Committee are known as “Committee Members”.
1.8 All Players’ over the age of 16; Parents/ Carers of players below the age of 16; and other regular helpers over the age of 16; are defined as “Members” (see Section 4 for further definition).
1.9 It is possible both to be a Committee Member and a Member.
2. Purpose of the Management Committee
2.1 The purpose of the Management Committee is to define and coordinate the activities of The Club on behalf of the Members and Players to drive forward the agreed objectives of The Club.
2.2 The affairs of The Club are run by the Management Committee, including but not limited to ensuring adequate insurance, securing sufficient resources, applying of policies and standards and the provision of appropriate training for coaches and support personnel.
2.3 Meet as regularly as the Committee Members deem necessary.
2.4 Take responsibility for planning, budgeting and monitoring income and expenditure. This will include the defining the funding requirement; method and spend priorities; together with the means of income generation.
2.5 Take responsibility for any fund-raising activity, although this maybe delegated to Members.
2.6 Define and appoint any Sub-Committees deemed necessary.
2.7 Represent equally the interests all Members.
3. Election and responsibilities of the Committee Members
3.1 As a minimum, the Management Committee will consist of:
- Chairperson
- Treasurer
- Club Secretary
- Child Welfare Office
Other roles can be defined and Committee Members appointed by the Management Committee as needed, including a General Committee Member role to a maximum of 12.
3.2 To be Committee Member, the individual must have been a Member for at least 12 months.
3.3 It is possible to be part of the Management Committee without a designated role.
3.4 Committee Members shall be elected approximately every 12 months through a vote of Members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). A simple majority voting system will apply for each role. The Committee Members will serve until 24 hours after their successors are duly elected.
3.5 Nominations for each role should be submitted to the incumbent Chairperson 7 days before an election. The first vote will take place on 11th June 2015 through a show of hands of Members at the AGM. The candidate with the most votes for each role will be placed into the post. In the event of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes, the decision will be made through casting vote of the Chair.
3.6 In the event that only one candidate stands for a role, then they will take up the post.
3.7 The Chairperson and the Treasurer positions must be held by different individuals.
3.8 In the event that a Committee Member stands down within an electoral term, the Management Committee may co-opt another member without the need for an election. The process of co-opting will consist of a list of interested candidates and a vote of the Committee Members. The same process can apply to new Committee Members roles created within an electoral term.
3.9 A Committee Member shall cease to be on the Management Committee if, he/she resigns in writing to the Chairperson or acts illegally or inappropriately or fails to fulfill their duties.
4. Members
4.1 See section 1.6 for the definition of a Member. Where a Player or regular helper is over the age of 16, as a Member they carry a single vote. Where a parent or carer is representing a player under the age of 16, then one vote will be permitted per player represented. If multiple parents/ carers are present then this vote will be split between the numbers of parents/ carers present.
4.2 The Management Committee has the right to refuse, suspend or withdraw Member status only with good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or game of football into disrepute. Appeal against refusal may be made to the members.
4.3 Members can exercise their right by voting at an election, attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM).
4.4 Members can withdraw their status at any time with 2 weeks written/ email notice.
4.5 Members shall pay an annual subscription on behalf of each Player, the amount of which is determined each year at the AGM.
4.6 Membership of The Club runs from 1st August to 31st July each year.
5. Players
5.1 The Club shall be open to Players from the age of 4 and up to the age of 19, regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
5.2 The Management Committee has the right to refuse, suspend or withdraw Player status only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring The Club or game of football into disrepute. Appeal against refusal may be made to the members.
6. Committee Meetings
6.1 Committee Members will be given at least seven days’ written notice of Committee date.
6.2 An agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting to the Committee Members.
6.3 The Management Committee is to be led by the Chairperson; in their absence an alternative Chair is to be agreed by majority vote of the remaining Committee Members at the start of a meeting.
6.4 Committee Meetings held must have a quorum of three Committee Members.
6.5 All business matters, where appropriate, shall be determined by a simple majority of votes (through a show of hands) of the Members present. In the case of an equal vote, the Chair of that meeting will have a casting vote.
6.6 The Secretary shall keep a record of meetings and votes and circulate the minutes. The minutes will be issued as draft to the Management Committee for a period of one week with the final minutes being issued to all Members thereafter incorporating any feedback. Where feedback conflicts, the minutes will be reviewed and agreed at the next Management Committee meeting.
7. Annual General Meeting
7.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held during June of each year. At least 14 days notice will be given to all Members.
7.2 The purpose of each Annual General Meeting is to report to Members on activities undertaken and to hold elections for Committee Members. The activities of the AGM shall cover, but are not limited to:
- Election of Committee Members
- Appointment of the Management Committee
- Determination of annual subscription and match levies
- Adoption of The Club’s annual accounts
- Amendments to The Club’s constitution
7.3 Further meetings of Members maybe held to share relevant information as the Management Committee deem appropriate. 14 days notice would be given to all Members.
7.4 The Members have the right to a call an Exceptional General Meeting (EGM) with 14 days written notice to the Chairperson with the written demand of 25% of the members or 30 members whichever is the smaller.
7.5 The subscriptions will be recommended by the Management Committee, and decided upon by majority vote of the Members present and voting.
8. Finance Matters
8.1 The Treasurer shall keep a clear record of income and expenditure, where necessary supported by receipted invoices, and table a financial report at at-least every other meeting of the Management Committee.
8.2 The Financial Year will run from the 1st June to 31st May each year.
8.3 The Treasurer shall present a draft Annual Account of income and expenditure for the Management Committee to approve prior to the AGM. The Final Account shall be presented to the Members present at the AGM to approve.
8.4 All expenditure, commitments to spend or payments will require the approval of two from the Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
8.5 The Treasurer will be responsible for the club’s banking arrangements and will operate the bank account on the basis of two minimum authorised signatories who will also be committee members.
9. Definition of Roles
9.1 The Chairperson does not have specific duties aside from chairing the Management Committee but will oversee the work carried out by the Management Committee, Players and Coaches, while also being the ultimate point of arbitration.
9.2 The Secretary is the official contact between the club, the County FA and the competition organisers. The Secretary’s duties include: County FA affiliation; league membership; all correspondence; maintenance of club records; maintaining a player register; manage transfers and contract players.
9.3 The Treasurer must manage and administer the club’s finances, maintaining an income and expenditure record and balance sheet, which must be presented at the club’s AGM. A cash book must be retained for two seasons, an annual financial statement prepared and bank account managed in the club’s name.
9.4 The Welfare Officer should understand the club’s responsibilities when running activities for children and young people, and must help club personnel in their duty of care towards children.
10. Changes to the Constitution
10.1 This Constitution may only be altered at an AGM or EGM by majority vote of the Members present. Any proposal to change the Constitution must be clearly communicated to all Members at least seven days before the meeting at which a vote would take place. Requests to change the Constitution must be submitted to the Chair at least seven days ahead of the AGM or EGM.
11. Winding Up
11.1 The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting. All members must be provided with 28 days written notice of any meeting which contains a proposal to wind up the Club.
11.2 The committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs and determining how the net assets of the club, after settling all liabilities, shall be disposed of.
12. Complaints
12.1 These apply in the event that any Member of the club feels that he or she (or the person they represent) has suffered discrimination in any way or that the club’s Policies, Rules or Codes of Conduct have been broken.
12.2 They should report the matter to the Club Secretary; Child Welfare Officer or another member of the Club Committee. The report should include:
- Details of what, when and where the occurrence took place;
- Any witness statement and names;
- Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way;
- Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom;
- A preference for a solution to the incident.
12.3 The Management Committee will sit for any hearings that are required.
12.4 The Management Committee will have the power to:
- Warn as to future conduct;
- Suspend from membership;
- Remove from membership any person found to have broken the Club’s Policies or Codes of Conduct. If the complaint is in regard to the Management Committee; the member has the right to report the discrimination to the relevant County FA.
13. Interpretation
13.1 Any question about the interpretation of this Constitution should, in the first instance be dealt with by the Management Committee. If further interpretation is required, the committee will agree to consider an independent opinion, providing all parties concerned can be assured of complete independence.